Poems and Prisoners
by Magenta's Nightmare
Summary: This is a Caryl story involving Axel in a pretty big way, I loved Axel and thought he was such an underutilized character especially as far as his friendship with Carol. Hope you like it:)


**(This story contains excerpts of the beautiful poetry of Rod McKuen which I definitely do not own)**

Daryl didn't know what to make of life lately. He was tired and everyone seemed to be depending on him for something. Rick had put a lot of responsibility on his shoulders and last week when he almost lost Carol it was clear he couldn't handle it.

It was supposed to be a simple run and everything had gone smoothly until she got cornered in the back of a hardware store. She was armed but they were coming at her from all angles. Between Glenn, Maggie, Michonne and himself they just made it to her in time.

By the time they reached her she had already been grabbed by one of the 7 walkers closing in on her. He never felt so scared of anything and it had been his fault.

She asked him to check the back with her when they entered and he'd said 'just a minute'. He got busy helping Glenn carry a bin out to the vehicle and when he came back in she was already screaming. He'd never forget that scream as long as he lived, it brought chills back every time he thought of it. He could see the fear in her face through the crowd of death and she may as well have been a million miles away.

He froze for a split second before he bolted and he'd never forgive his body for betraying him in her moment of need.

She was shaking and pale by the time they reached her and cleared the area. He held her all the way back to the prison but couldn't say anything at all.

When he took her to her cell he told her over and over again that he was sorry. Carol being who she was said it wasn't his fault but how could she mean that? He was supposed to be with her, if he had been she never would have been so out numbered.

In the coming week he still couldn't forget about it. She came around in a day or two and was herself again. He wondered if she still trusted him the same way. He didn't interact with her as much but couldn't stop following her around making sure she was OK.

Everyone counted on him but was he worthy of it? He let down the one person who mattered most to him and now he couldn't get past it.

#################################

He had become distant and she couldn't seem to get him back. The near miss had changed him and she wasn't sure why, although knowing Daryl is was probably misplaced guilt. Maybe if she finally told him how she felt he'd come around.

She had waited on her own for a long time for the perfect opportunity to tell him. What happened last week showed her if she didn't do it now she may not get another chance. She had to psych herself up quite a bit but once she made up her mind she went for it.

She had words carefully chosen to make her feelings known and she was even a little excited to see his reaction.

She never expected what came next.

Rick was talking with Daryl in his cell as she approached and she heard her name and stopped short.

"Carol isn't mad, nobody is. These things happen now. We are as careful as we can be but things go wrong, Daryl."

"It's different now, I don't want everyone dumping their trust on me. I fucked up!" Daryl sounded angry and it definitely wasn't the right time. She turned to leave and then heard Rick say something that made her freeze.

"You can't push everyone away, Daryl. Hell, I thought you two were gonna end up together but now you don't even speak to her!"

"End up together? No, that can't happen."

"I must have read it wrong."

"People like me are better alone, I know who I am."

She turned and walked off feeling so grateful she hadn't tried and so heartbroken she'd never be able to. She felt a strange ache running up and down her arms and when she got to her cell she had a short but overpowering cry.

After Sophia, she didn't have a reason to go on. All she had was Daryl, he had kept her alive. She had gotten everything wrong between them. She could count herself lucky that they were friends but even that had fallen away in the wake of one event. Losing someone like Daryl was no small thing. In a world where you could lose the ones you love at any time she had her best friend 2 cells over but he was becoming a stranger to her.

###########################

2 weeks since the incident and he hadn't heard a word from Carol in 3 full days. She was around, doing her normal work and reading a lot these days but she didn't say anything to him anymore. He missed her but they had grown so far apart and he didn't know how to fix it.

He walked past her cell in the afternoon and she was curled up with a book on her bunk. She looked small and sad with a huge cardigan over her shoulders.

He stood in the doorway of the cell for a moment hoping for her to say hi but she looked up without a smile and went right back to her book. It was as if she didn't even see him.

"Hi," he offered in a quiet voice.

"Hi," she said back, continuing to read, "do you need something, Daryl?"

"No, just saying 'hi'...you OK?" It killed him how awkward this was. She used to light up when she saw him, he'd do anything to see her do it again but it was over.

"Yeah, I'm fine." This time she smiled at him but there was something in her eyes he couldn't place.

He nodded and walked away, he couldn't think of anything she might want to hear.

She decided very quickly it was unfair for her to take her pain out on him. If he didn't want this, that was his right and if she really was his friend she'd accept it.

Carol was still lonely though and the only other person she seemed to connect with lately was Axel.

Truth be told, she'd disliked him at first but she soon found that he was actually very sweet. He was an open book and that was refreshing. Axel held nothing back and she knew what he was thinking, it was easy to be around him. He had an endearing way of being self deprecating and wasn't afraid to laugh at himself.

She knew he was interested and tried hard not to lead him on while simultaneously enjoying his company. She liked him a lot, but not in a romantic way.

Today he was attempting to assist her in the kitchen. She was organizing the pantry and preparing vegetables that Rick had grown. Axel helped with lifting but the man had never peeled a potato in his life and didn't know how to hold a paring knife.

"How have you never done this?" she asked, laughing for the first time in ages.

"I got lucky, my mom wouldn't let me in the kitchen,"

he grinned.

She shrugged her shoulders and came over to show him how to hold the knife so he wouldn't cut himself.

"What's going on here?" Daryl asked, walking in and witnessing the interaction.

"This man has never peeled a potato, it's hilarious!" She giggled and went back into the pantry to organize the cans.

"She's trying to domesticate me, bless her," Axel joked.

"Good luck to her." Daryl huffed, walking out of the kitchen.

"He always so friendly?" Axel asked her with a quizzical look.

"I'm the wrong person to ask about him these days," she said wanting to change the subject.

"I thought you two...?"

"We aren't."

She shook her head wanted to shut the conversation down quickly before she had to think about it. It was a conscious effort not to think of him but she was strong and if she had to fight it to keep his friendship, she would.

"Well, you used to be thick as thieves."

Axel didn't seem to know when to stop.

"Things change, people drift away from you. It happens, even with people you care the most about."

"Who did the drifting?" he asked.

"He did. I need to grab some water and clean these shelves, be right back."

She had to get out of there. She could feel the sadness rising in her again and fought it with everything she had.

###############################

She was speaking to him again but she was also hanging out with that criminal all the time. He didn't trust Axel around her and made a point to check in when he was around. Carol was too good for him but she was definitely too good for Axel.

She was outside this morning burning garbage.

"Here," he said, offering her his bandana to cover her mouth, "take this."

She turned and took it from him and began trying to untie the knot in it so she could wrap it around her mouth. "Thanks."

"So what does this Axel character want?"

"He's a friend," she answered simply, "I don't think he really wants anything."

"Be careful around him."

"I'm not worried about him, he seems pretty harmless to me."

"He might try something with you," Daryl countered.

"Like what?" She was genuinely curious what on earth Daryl was thinking.

"Like, put the moves on you or something."

"I really doubt that, Daryl, but I'll keep my eyes open. OK?" She smiled and shook her head lifting the bandana to her mouth.

"Why do you doubt that?"

"It's been so long since anyone put any kind of moves on me, I'm really not worried."

She laughed and started pitching garbage into the fire.

He walked away from her thinking she was being very naive, he'd have to watch her closer.

#####################################

"I can't even understand this one, Carol. Do you have something with smaller words?"

She was surprised when he came around asking for something to read but she had a box of books in her cell and was more than happy to share.

Axel offered her the book back and she began digging through her box for something more fitting.

"Do you like poetry?" she asked, pulling up an old Rod McKuen book of poetry.

"I don't even know, let's see."

He scanned the pages and smiled. "I'll give it a try, smaller words."

He laughed and she couldn't help laughing along with him. He was adorable sometimes and so simple to figure out but it wasn't a bad thing. She had been walking through an emotional minefield with Daryl for so long that simple interactions were what she needed.

"There's a good one in here," she insisted, standing up and taking the book from his hands.

"There are some beautiful poems in this. Here, see? I had this book as a teenager." She turned the pages looking for the right one.

 **Who among us has come away from love**

 **with nothing but a self reward?**

 **What is left behind,**

 **what sticks and stays**

 **as we move on**

 **is the part of us that's best.**

 **If we ever wish to see**

 **the best side of ourselves**

 **the side unselfish, unafraid**

 **then we must learn to love.**

He was silenced by the words she read, he'd never heard anything like it. "It's beautiful."

"Told ya," she grinned, handing him the book.

"You read that, you'll love it." There was something she loved about being able to share something beautiful with someone, especially these days.

Daryl watched them from the end of the hall and it made him angry at himself. He stormed outside to get air. He had ignored her and now she was spending her time reading poetry to a criminal.

Deep down he knew he had nobody to blame but himself. Who knew? Maybe Axel was the man for her, he did make her laugh and they got along the way he used to with her.

############################

A few days on and he got stuck clearing out a basement wing of the prison with Axel and Oscar.

"What you carrying a book around for? We have work to do here, Axel," Oscar said, looking at him sideways.

"I don't wanna lose it, it's special." Axel took the book from the back pocket of his prison overalls and looked at the cover brushing it with his hand before putting it back.

"It's a book. What's so special about a book?" This was not the Axel that Oscar knew.

"I like it, it makes sense to me. Didn't think I'd liked poetry," he laughed, shaking his head, "Carol gave it to me."

"She lent it to you," Daryl corrected.

"Yeah, lent it to me, sorry, that's what I meant to say," Axel shrugged.

"Why is she giving you a book of poetry?" Oscar seemed amazed by the whole thing.

"She's just nice to me, I can't figure it out either." Axel continued working and moved further down the corridor.

"She's nice to everyone," Daryl blurted out.

"I know, she's sweet. Never met anyone like her," Axel added.

"She is nice," Oscar agreed.

"Yeah, well it doesn't mean anything. She's just nice to everyone," Daryl said. He realized what an asshole he was being but couldn't seem to stop himself.

"I know that, Daryl. She's not interested in someone like me, I just like that she even talks to me." Axel felt the tension and he didn't quite understand the aggression but he avoided conflict wherever possible.

Daryl could relate to Axel in a strange way, he had been an unlikely candidate for friendship with Carol as well. Carol had seen the value in him just like she was now with Axel, it was her way. The fact that she bothered to look deep enough to see this in people is why he loved her.

"Sorry," he grumbled, before heading out for some air.

Daryl finally got up to the surface level and out the gate of the prison.

Carol was outside the fence unclogging the water line, he could see the top of her head bobbing around. Daryl lit a smoke and walked to the fence line to watch over her. She was alone out there and knee deep in mud and water. She turned to him and he could see she had taken her pants off to keep them dry.

"Jesus! sorry," he stammered, backing up.

"It's fine, Daryl, actually could you keep watch while I do this?"

"Sure."

He tried to keep his eyes on the trees and peeked at her only occasionally, he couldn't resist.

Carol ducked under the water to get a hold of the hose and began banging it against a rock and

trying to dig the mud out with her fingers. She was soaked through and her shirt became translucent.

"Try it on the other side!" she hollered.

He began turning the crank and sure enough there was water.

She grinned and began crawling out of the water onto the bank. She didn't seem concerned with covering herself and Daryl was left standing there staring at her see through panties and she squirmed into her pants with her wet legs.

"My pants are pretty much soaked anyways, should have just left them on," she laughed, and walked toward the fence to get through.

They started back toward the prison and he wanted to say something but couldn't quite start.

"I wish I could get out of here for a while, starting to feel cooped up," she said, walking swiftly a few steps ahead of him.

"Come hunting with me then," he offered.

"When?"

"Tomorrow...early though."

Daryl figured maybe he could talk to her and explain himself.

She stopped and grabbed a handful of her shirt and started wringing the water out of it. He caught a glimpse of her bare stomach and tried not to be obvious about staring.

"OK," She smiled at him and continued on for a minutes before adding, "been so long since we were out together."

"Too long," he agreed, "I'll come get you in the morning."

"OK."

Right before he turned in that night he ran into Axel carrying around the book from Carol and reading while walking.

"Watch out, man! You're gonna trip," Daryl warned.

"Sorry, can't put this thing down. She underlined all the best ones for me today and left a bunch of notes."

Daryl had never seen anyone so excited by a book.

He wanted to see it and he had no idea why.

"Can I see it for a while?" he asked.

"Of course, but can I have it back tomorrow?"

Axel was very submissive and actually a really nice guy, Daryl thought.

"Yeah, I just wanna see it. I'll give it back in the morning," Daryl said, smiling at Axel and trying his best to be friendly.

Daryl took the book back to his room and wanted to look at the notes she left. He couldn't quite explain why, even to himself.

The first thing he found highlighted was part of a poem:

 **I keep my arms spread wide.**

 **I teetered on a tightrope,**

 **stretched between your sometimes love for me**

 **and tied securely**

 **by my always need for you**

 **Balancing, always balancing.**

 **One foot before the other**

 **down the rails and roads.**

Daryl had never read any poetry but he was understanding why Axel liked this.

Underneath the underlined passage she wrote: _Unrequited love is the worst_ and she drew a smiley face.

He turned a few more pages and then more highlighting:

 **Perhaps in times**

 **yet coming**

 **it will be enough for me**

 **to know that you were mine**

 **even in the dead of night**

 **when you were here on loan**

 **A sorcerer's apprentice**

 **you always made me feel**

 **you were here**

 **without condition**

He felt desperate to know why she had chosen these passages, he wanted to know her mind.

All she wrote on this page was _I like this one, even if it makes me sad._

Daryl read through a little more of the book before closing it and laying down on his bunk. How could he fix things with her?

He was always first up and he got ready quickly remembering he hadn't even mentioned his plans to Rick.

"Hey! Pssst...Rick."

Rick rolled over in bed and groaned, "What is it?"

"I'm going hunting."

"You don't need to tell me that."

"I'm taking Carol with me," he clarified.

"Why?"

"She wants to get out for a bit."

"Good."

"Why good?" Daryl asked.

"Means you are talking again, straighten things out with her. It's weird with you two avoiding each other."

Daryl briefly considered arguing it but it was true and he did plan to try to patch things up.

He dropped the book off in Axel's cell before leaving.

"Thanks a lot, Daryl," Axel said with his eyes lit up.

"It is yours, man," Daryl said.

"No, you were right she was just lending it to me."

Axel took the book and instantly opened it again like he couldn't get enough.

"I'm pretty sure she means for you to keep it," Daryl insisted, taking it from him and finding the page he wanted. He handed it back to Axel and he shook his head.

"I didn't even see this!"

Right inside the cover Carol had written:

 **Axel,**

 **I hope you enjoy this book and remember you are a lot smarter than you realize, don't let the big words scare you. These poem are good for heartache, trust me, but I hope you never have any heartaches.**

 **Your friend, Carol**

 **p.s. I always write in books, it's a bad habit.**

"See ya later, Axel," Daryl said, leaving him with his treasured possession.

That was his Carol right there, making others know their worth.

When he got to her cell to wake her she was already up and packing her backpack.

"You ready?"

"Yes." She threw the bag over her shoulder and took a step toward him and he shifted out of her way.

"Thanks, Daryl. I just need to get out even for a little while."

"No problem, lookin' forward to it."

They took the truck and he only drove out a few miles to check snares and see if anything was around to hunt, but that wasn't the primary focus of the day.

"That Axel's a nice guy."

"He really is, he's uncomplicated."

"Are you saying he's simple?" he laughed.

"No, he's smart he just doesn't know it yet."

"He worships you," Daryl added.

"He's sweet. He sure loves poetry, turns out he's really sensitive," she said, smiling.

They spent the morning checking snares and he vaguely looked out for game but wasn't too concerned.

When they stopped to eat he figured it was as good at time as any to talk.

"Feels good to be out here," he said, unable to think of anything else to say.

"It really does, I've been so out of sorts lately I needed this."

"Why are you out of sorts?" he asked.

"What?...Oh nothing, just...nice to get out." She smiled and looked up to the sky.

"I'm sorry about the way I acted," he began, not looking at her.

"What do you mean?"

"After what happened at the hardware store."

"Don't worry about it, we all need to process things. I get it," she said, giving him an understanding look.

"You always understand everyone else."

"It's fine, Daryl, sometimes people just need to be alone."

He frowned wondering where he'd heard this before and then he remembered talking to Rick just after ward when he was still losing it.

"Carol, were you mad at me after that happened? Cause I let you down?"

"You didn't though, it just happened," she said, focusing on her bottle of water.

"I should have come with you when you asked."

"You can't carry that around, Daryl. If anything ever happens to me I'll know it wasn't intentional. You're a good friend. I know you wouldn't put me in danger on purpose. You need to let it all go...I did."

He nodded resting his face in his hand and kicking at the ground.

"I had a lot of stupid ideas after that happened."

"Happens to the best of us...I did miss you though," she said, feeling she had to let him know. Clearing the air might be really good for their friendship.

"Sorry."

"I'm just glad you're back now. I was confused for a while about what I wanted but now that I know what we have between us it's easier for me."

"What do you mean?" He was lost.

"It's silly to say it now but after what happened I thought about how short life is and I decided to come tell you everything but then I heard you talking to Rick and it stopped me, Thank God!"

She smiled but still had a sadness in her eyes.

"Tell me what?" he sat up straight.

"I thought it was all over, I saw you rushing at me from the other side of the store and I remember thinking 'I'm going to die and I'll never get to tell him I love him'," she let out a soft sigh, "I was on my way to talk to you and then I heard you talking to Rick and it opened my eyes. I knew then that you didn't want that and I was so grateful that I didn't say anything."

"Carol...I-"

"Shhh it's OK. I was sad for a long time and it hurt to be around you so I just kept to my cell reading and crying and reading and crying until Axel came along and started keeping my brain busy."

"I didn't mean that, Carol," he said, desperate to get the truth to her.

"You don't have to say that. Part of being a grown up is accepting that not everyone you love will love you back. I loved you...for a long time, truthfully I always will, but I can accept it. We can still be friends," she brushed her hands on her pants and stood up tossing her back pack into the cab of the truck.

It was a nightmare. He had made the only woman he ever cared about believe he didn't want her. He sat frozen to the spot watching her gather her things and climb into the truck.

"You coming?" She leaned out the driver's door and looked at him like he'd gone crazy.

The worst part was that she seemed to be completely over it.

"Carol, you have this all wrong."

"I told you, I'm OK. Nothing needs to change. I'm starting to wish I hadn't said anything now...I just wanted to be honest with you."

"I froze... When we were in that store. I heard you scream and I saw you about to be swarmed and I fucking froze. It was just a few seconds but those few seconds could have gotten you killed!"

"It didn't though, and I'm fine."

"That's why I said what I said, I almost got you killed. I didn't trust myself with you anymore."

"We don't have to be in some relationship to care about each other. I'm don't expect you to do things you don't feel, Daryl. I'm OK, I swear."

She slumped back in the seat wishing she'd kept her mouth shut. The only thing worse than unrequited love was pity from the unrequited lover.

He finally got up after trying to string some words together to explain himself and sat next to her in the truck.

"I didn't like Axel, I didn't trust him around you but I get it now."

"I'm not with, Axel."

"I know, hear me out. I get why he kept following you around. You made him feel the way you made me feel when we met."

Carol looked at him, confused. What did Axel have to do with any of this?

"You're the only person I ever met who cared what I thought of myself and you are that person for Axel too. You are like some kind of angel to me. I didn't think anything of myself till I met you. Almost getting you killed would be like being responsible for losing the most important person on the planet, I couldn't deal with it."

Carol lay back and looked out the window of the truck, "This is a mess."

"When Rick suggested we would be together it was like an insult to you. That's why I said no."

He dropped his head to the steering wheel and felt overwhelmed by all the conversation and feelings.

"Carol?"

He had to know if it was over for her. She was right, life was short and he had to know.

"What?' she answered, sounding small and very tired.

"Are you over it now?"

She looked over at him and she could see it in his face, he was putting it all on the line.

"I love you, Daryl. The door is always open."

She looked away, not wanting to try to read his face. She just had to say it, now that she had she was at peace. He reached for her hand and when she looked back to him he was crying. She had to blink to be sure of it but he was holding onto her hand with both of his and crying.

She couldn't bare to see it and moved over to hold him in her arms. "Shhh...shhh."

"Sorry," he said wiping his face with his sleeve.

"Don't be, it's fine. I did my share of crying weeks ago, it's cathartic."

He didn't know what she meant by that but she wasn't laughing and that was good enough. He sat up straight wondering where to go from here.

Carol leaned in and hugged him and felt relieved to be able to be close to him again. He clung to her and buried his face in her shoulder.

She pulled back and looked into his eyes for a second and then he kissed her.

The world fell silent and she kissed him back.

Heat flowed through the moment and it claimed them both. They kissed and touched until everything became hazy before finally coming to a stop.

"Can you meet me tonight on watch?" he asked.

"Yes...Daryl, I can hardly believe this..."

"I know, me neither."

He kissed her again and smiled, "God, I love kissing you."

She laughed and sat closer to him, "We should get back."

He started the truck and they got back to the prison by late afternoon. She felt so giddy about Daryl and was looking forward to meeting him that night. She couldn't get the kissing session out of her mind and grinned like a fool as if everyone knew what they'd been doing.

She headed to the kitchen to help serve supper thinking of his hands on her back and his hot tongue in her mouth. Carol felt like a teenager replaying it over and over in her head. She had kissed his neck and he tasted of earth and salty sea water, she was so aroused she wondered what would happen tonight.

Maggie was filling bowls with deer stew and loading up a separate tray.

"Carol, could you do me a favour and take this to Axel?"

"Axel?"

She took the tray and looked at Maggie wondering why she was delivering his food.

"Yeah, he has a fever. I have some Tylenol for him too, just a second."

She opened the bottle and put the tablets on the tray.

"His temp. was around a hundred but could you check it again? I think he needs to stay in his room so it doesn't spread."

"No problem," she said, heading straight for his room.

"Hey you?" she said, setting the tray down on the small table next to his bed.

"Oh Carol, I'm sorry...I can't seem to get out of this bed. Thanks."

"You're sick, don't be silly."

He went to take a drink of water but she stopped him.

"Just one second, I need your temperature first."

She handed him the thermometer and he placed it under his tongue and waited.

"102 Wow!" she said, handing him the water and Tylenol.

"You shouldn't stay here, I don't want to make you sick too."

"I'll risk it," she smiled, "anything you need?"

"Just the book." he said, patting the cover of the book next to him.

"Finish all this water and try to eat some stew and I'll read to you for a while."

"Carol, you're too good to me," Axel said.

"I'm your friend, Axel, I'm happy to."

She smiled and pulled up a chair and started to read him poems.

"Where's Carol?" Daryl asked, sitting down at the table.

"She took a tray to Axel, he's sick so he has to stay in his cell," Maggie answered.

"Did she eat?"

"Not yet, she should be back soon though."

Daryl ate quickly and then went to check on her.

 **"I want love**

 **for those I love**

 **to come from all sides**

 **not just selfish me.**

 **If the moon can rise for me**

 **it ought to rise for those**

 **who comfort me, directly or indirectly,**

 **banked by paths that take the dreamer home**

 **even when the dreamer doesn't know**

 **that I have willed his pleasant journey."**

She was curled up on a chair next to the bed and reading to him unaware that he'd already fallen asleep.

Daryl smiled, this was his Carol. She hadn't even eaten and there she was reading to a friend first.

"I think your baby fell asleep," he whispered.

She jumped and looked back at him.

"You gave me a heart attack," she said, softly.

She stood up and collected the cups and bowl onto the tray.

"Sorry, you should come eat. Is he gonna be OK?" he asked, surprised by his own concern for Axel.

"I sure hope so, he has a hell of a fever but nothing else so far."

She looked worried and he took the tray from her and walked back to the kitchen with her to make sure she had some food.

Carol sat at the dining table and ate her stew and drank some water.

"Maggie? I was going to do watch with Daryl tonight but I think someone needs to check in on Axel occasionally. He's sleeping now but his fever is high and he could get worse."

"I'll take turns checking on him with Glenn, I can't sleep well lately anyway."

"Thanks. If anything changes, please come get me and I'll stay with him."

Carol got washed up and changed into some comfortable clothes for watch. Before leaving to meet Daryl she checked on Axel again. He was still sleeping and when she touched his head he still felt warm.

She woke him up quickly to make him drink more water and take more Tylenol.

"I feel like I'm gonna die," he said, sounding weak and miserable.

"You won't, you're going to be fine. Just a second I have something to make you feel better."

She went to the kitchen and got a bowl of cold water and a clean rag.

She wet the cloth and squeezed out the water washing his face and then laying the cloth across his neck.

"Are you an angel?" he asked, looking up at her face.

She laughed and shook her head, "No, I'm just a friend, Axel."

His clothes were drenched in sweat and she helped him sit up so he could change his shirt.

She switched his hot pillow with the one from the top bunk and he had a look of pure happiness on his face when he lay back down.

"You OK for a while?" she asked.

"I feel better already, Carol. Thank you."

"Get some sleep and Maggie and Glenn will be by to check on you. Anything changes and they'll come get me. I'm going to be on watch with Daryl."

She wrote a quick note before she headed out letting them know when he had pills last and when he could have more.

Axel closed his eyes and smiled, "He likes you."

"What did you say?" she asked.

"He likes you, I can tell. You watch someday he'll go for it." he laughed and rolled over.

"Get some sleep, Axel. I want to see you all better in the morning."

* * *

"You're late," he said, as she entered the tower.

"Yeah, sorry. Axel needed some more care."

"It's OK," he said, sitting at the desk and waiting for her to settle.

She flopped on the couch and took a slow, deep breath.

"They said they'll come get me if anything changes."

He nodded and he could see she looked tired.

"You wanna go sleep instead?"

"No," she said, standing up and walking over to him, "I want to be right here with you."

He reached out and held her around the waist. He was still sitting on the chair and pressed his face to her belly.

"Been thinking of you all day," he said, breathing in the sweet smell of her.

"I can't believe how complicated it all got. Promise me we'll stop keeping everything in, life is too short for secrets."

"I promise."

She looked down at him and couldn't wait to kiss him again. The two of them together felt right and familiar now that all the air was cleared.

He pulled her down to it one of his thighs and he never wanted to stop kissing her.

Daryl didn't care how far this went he just needed her close. She moved in and kissed his neck, nobody ever kissed his neck before her, it felt amazing.

She stood up and led him over to the couch and sat him down.

She proceeded to kiss him and he lay back pulling her over him.

Outside it began to rain and soon the wind was howling.

"A storm's coming," he said, looking out the window.

The tower was darker now that night had set in the and the sky was filled with black clouds.

She slid his vest over his shoulders and he sat up to get it off his arms. She moved slowly but deliberately and pulled his shirt over his head. She moved down to kiss his chest and it wasn't something he'd ever felt.

She wanted him to feel every single ounce of her love. She touched him gently and when he took off her shirt she found his refusal to look right at her amusing.

She undid her bra and slid it off of her arms and waited. "Look at me, Daryl."

When he finally did she could see it in his eyes, he wanted her. She loved his expression and moved back over him kissing him deep and hoping he'd touch her.

Lightening flashed through the huge front windows of the tower and something changed in him. He moved a little faster and scooped her up into his arms.

When he thought of the look on her face when she said she heard him say he didn't want to be with her he wanted to erase the memory from her mind. He wanted to replace her sadness with love.

He lay her down on the couch and pulled her pants off. She held him so close and when he came to rest between her legs she stopped for a moment and just looked at him.

"What?" he asked, feeling a little self conscious.

"I just wanted to remember this moment and get a good look at you."

She pushed all the hair out of his face and kissed him again.

She moved her hands down to undo his pants, "Can you take these off?" she asked.

He stood and took off all his clothes feeling glad it was at least dark. It wasn't that he was ashamed necessarily, but this was new. Sex for him in the past had no intimacy and it had never been special or with anyone who's opinion mattered to him.

He cared what she thought of his body but Carol didn't judge him and he knew that underneath it all.

She reached her arms out to him and he lay down over her. There was a huge clap of thunder and the lightening became more steady.

He looked down into her eyes for reassurance.

"Make love to me, Daryl."

He didn't need any more than that to be sure. It started slow and was simple but she could feel it was right just as it was. They had the rest of their lives to do this, however long that was. For now it just needed to happen even if it was slow and simple.

He kissed her all over her face and down her neck as she ran her hands up and down his back.

She could see his face in a flash of lightening as he came and she'd never forget the twisted look of pleasure as long as she lived.

When it was over she got dressed and held him on the couch wishing they never have to let go.

He insisted she get some sleep and she dozed off on the couch for a few hours.

It was still storming when Maggie knocked on the door of the tower.

"She wanted me to come if anything changed," Maggie said looking exhausted, "We can't get the fever to come down."

"I'll wake her up, just a second."

"Carol...Carol...wake up."

She opened her eyes and smiled.

"Hey..."

"Axel's not doing well, do you want to go to him?"

She sat up quick and kissed him before leaving with Maggie.

"Are you and Daryl together now?"

"Yeah...it just happened. What's going on with Axel?"

"That fever isn't coming down and he's not making a lot of sense right now, might be dehydrated. I can't promise he'll make it so I thought you'd want to see him."

When they got into the prison she went straight to his cell.

"Help me get his clothes off, then I'll grab some cold water."

She washed him in cool water and sat him up getting him to drink but he wasn't getting enough.

"Can't we start an IV, Maggie?" Carol asked.

"OK, I'll grab the stuff."

Carol watched over him and continued keeping him cool with water.

Maggie got the IV going and Carol worked through the night and fell asleep in the chair next to the bed.

When Daryl came in from watch he picked her up and put her in his bed, she didn't even open her eyes.

By late afternoon she finally woke up and found herself alone in Daryl's cell.

In the kitchen she found Maggie and checked in about Axel.

"I don't know, Carol. We can't even tell why he has this fever, he has no other symptoms and my dad has no other answers. It's just a wait and see thing now. I'm sorry."

Carol spent the next two days without leaving his side and kept reading, changing IV bags and giving him Tylenol and until finally the fever broke.

"You're done now," Daryl said when she gave him the good news, "Now you let me take care of you."

He took her to the showers and she was amazed when he got in with her.

"You saved him," he said, kissing her neck and standing behind her washing her hair.

"I don't know about that."

"You did, and now you need rest so I'm not letting you out of bed all day."

"That sounds perfect. Will you stay with me though?"

"Yep, put up a curtain and everything. I might make you a little more tired before I let you sleep."

"I can't wait," she grinned, turning in his arms and starting early.

In the evening, after a day in bed with Carol, Daryl needed some fresh air and found Axel sitting in a chair on the concrete outside the prison door.

"Should you be out here?"

"I needed to get outta that bed, felt like a corpse," he smiled up at Daryl, "Thanks to your Mrs. I ain't a real corpse though."

Daryl liked the sound of that so he decided not to argue.

"She's something else," Daryl said, looking out over the prison yard.

Axel reached under his chair and handed Daryl his book.

"I think you missed something in here."

She had an entire poem marked and Daryl looked down at the words.

 **Coming Close**

 **I meant so**

 **to bend the bough**

 **but never once**

 **to break the branch**

 **I hoped that I might see**

 **the blossom**

 **fall intact**

 **without petals coming loose**

 **or even once detached.**

 **What I wanted most**

 **was love**

 **in a straight**

 **straightforward way.**

 **I wanted you**

 **not as you could be**

 **had I made you up**

 **but the way I found you**

 **no different from**

 **the way you really are.**

 **I thought by now**

 **we might have earned**

 **a chance to come down close**

 **and lie against the earth**

 **But I'm convinced**

 **the earth will not allow**

 **even its truest lovers**

 **membership straight away.**

 **I cannot care**

 **a little for you.**

 **I love you only just enough**

 **to love you all the way.**

Daryl smiled when he saw what she'd written under it.

 _This one reminds me of Daryl._

"She's an angel, Daryl. Be good to her." Axel said, not looking at him but out across the courtyard.

Daryl handed him his book back.

"I will, I promise."


End file.
